Rebecca rushed about her bedroom trying to pack as quickly as she could. She feared her grandmother would have left the gala almost as soon as she herself did and would be arriving home any minute, and worse, possibly bringing both Ariam and Moff Vorru with her. Rebecca tore through her closet, throwing the dresses and gowns she was planning on taking onto the bed and purposefully leaving anything Ariam had gifted to her behind. Next came the letters she had been receiving from Aria and her father. She opened her nightstand drawer and took out the giant stacks. Once those were packed, she moved on to the silver jewelry box given to her by her father on her birthday. She opened the box and packed all of its contents. Finally, she removed the bottom layer revealing the hidden comm unit. The original note was still attached:
Becky,
You're twenty-one now! Congrats! You reached a great milestone, it's just unfortunate our circumstances prevent me from spending this day with you.
I'm sure Granny-Goodness hasn't yet given you one of these, so let me be the first. It's a comm unit. But don't get too excited...I'm giving this to you for emergency uses only. There's two frequencies programed into it: the first is mine. The second goes to Aria. One of us will answer. And if we don't? You have permission to knock our heads in when we see you. That's a promise. When things get truly unbearable where you are, I WANT you to call. I'll come get you and you can stay with me on Coruscant, guardian-ship be damned.
I'm sorry this needs to have limited use, but it's for the best. The last thing you need is Granny destroying it for "fraternizing with the enemy", as we military folk call it. I look forward to hearing your voice, no matter the circumstance of the call.
Happy Birthday,
Dad
The time read 2200 hours, not too late to make a call. She tore the paper off and dialed with shaky fingers. Static was heard as she waited for an answer on the other end.
"Okins here."
"Daddy?" Rebecca asked, her voice stressed. "I need your help..."
~~**~~
Coronet City's streets were nearly empty as the time drew closer to midnight. Rebecca walked briskly towards the central naval base on the edge of the city. Every few steps she stumbled slightly from being weighed down by her travel bags. She stopped at one of the street corners for a quick break and to check the time. 2430 hours. Taking a deep breath, she pressed forward, starting to avoid the main roads as she passed by the Vorru estate. From the distance, she could see several speeders still parked in the front and was surprised the gala was still going on so late, especially since she had fueled the flames by departing so unexpectedly. She did feel relieved upon seeing her grandmother's speeder still there, meaning she hadn't been home. Rebecca felt a small twinge of guilt not saying goodbye to her, but pressed onward anyway, knowing all too well that her grandmother would use every bit of persuasion to keep her from leaving.
As she turned another corner, she smiled, seeing the base's armored gate in the distance. Almost there. Her father assured her over the comm that the base never closed. An officer was always on duty, and they were awaiting her there. Because of this, she slowed her pace down. Her feet were hurting thanks to her heeled shoes and her arms were tired from carrying the heavy bags.
Halfway to the base, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Something isn't right... She turned her head slightly and noticed a male figure stumbling down the sidewalk behind her. Getting nervous, she quickened her pace. He quickened his. As she continued walking, she grabbed the comm from her pocket and dialed.
"Brisard here."
"Aria?? Are you guys here yet?"
"We're on route, Becky. We'll need another three hours. We were coming from Coruscant."
"Can you get here any faster?" She asked, clear fear in her voice.
"Becky, what's wrong?" her father asked.
"I think I'm being followed..." she replied, quickly stowing the comm back in her pocket and leaving the connection going.
She hurried as fast as she could to the gate and upon arriving hit the comm button requesting entry. As she waited, she heard the footsteps get louder and louder. Her heart racing, she fled down the nearest street in hopes of losing her stalker. Not sure where she was headed, she made an error and took an immediate right turn into a dead end.
"Great..." she mumbled. Wondering if she was able to lose her stalker, she turned around slowly and froze upon seeing the man's silhouette standing in the entrance to the alley. He stood there for several minutes staring off in her direction. Suddenly he started stumbling his way into the alley. As he drew closer, she started to back up and search for a way past him.
"Well, well, well..." he said. His speech was slightly uneven and slurred. "What a coincidence it is, finding you here."
"Who are you?" she asked, "What do you want with me?"
"You know, I was sitting at the bar downtown, drinking to the worst misfortune for our mutual friend Ariam Vorru...when lo and behold; the holo broadcasts live from some lavish, gaudy party he's throwing and there you two are, front and center."
"What about it?" she asked, backing further away as he advanced.
"I was...a little surprised to see him shove that ring in your face." He smirked. "No matter. His loss...."
Rebecca shot him an angry look. "I'm waiting for someone. If you don't mind," she said, trying to shove her way past him. Before she could get very far, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back against the alley wall. As he leaned his head close to hers, she turned her nose away, trying to avoid getting a good whiff of his strong alcoholic breath.
The man eyed her from head to toe and grinned. "It appears that fodder Ariam was too good for you, eh? I guess that means you're all mine." He yanked her forward and planted his mouth on hers.
Rebecca immediately began to struggle against his grip. When she finally broke free, she once again tried to get out of the alley, this time crying out for help. She made it a few feet before tripping over her heels. On the way down, she hit her head on the ground, dazing her. Her assailant took this opportunity to pin her to the ground, and as she lay there she felt a sharp object press into her neck a little.
"Don't struggle, Rebecca. It'll only make it worse for you..." He grinned deviously at her and whispered into her ear. "You know, I could have us wait this off until we're both official...but why? I couldn't bear waste this perfect opportunity."
Horrified and frightened, she made one last-ditch effort and used her free hand to slap the man as hard as she could across the face, hoping it would loosen his hold on her long enough. To her dismay, it did little damage.
"I guess you want it rough then. Alright, I'll play your game." He grinned and swung, striking her in the head. Rebecca cried out in pain as everything went black.
As she turned another corner, she smiled, seeing the base's armored gate in the distance. Almost there. Her father assured her over the comm that the base never closed. An officer was always on duty, and they were awaiting her there. Because of this, she slowed her pace down. Her feet were hurting thanks to her heeled shoes and her arms were tired from carrying the heavy bags.
Halfway to the base, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Something isn't right... She turned her head slightly and noticed a male figure stumbling down the sidewalk behind her. Getting nervous, she quickened her pace. He quickened his. As she continued walking, she grabbed the comm from her pocket and dialed.
"Brisard here."
"Aria?? Are you guys here yet?"
"We're on route, Becky. We'll need another three hours. We were coming from Coruscant."
"Can you get here any faster?" She asked, clear fear in her voice.
"Becky, what's wrong?" her father asked.
"I think I'm being followed..." she replied, quickly stowing the comm back in her pocket and leaving the connection going.
She hurried as fast as she could to the gate and upon arriving hit the comm button requesting entry. As she waited, she heard the footsteps get louder and louder. Her heart racing, she fled down the nearest street in hopes of losing her stalker. Not sure where she was headed, she made an error and took an immediate right turn into a dead end.
"Great..." she mumbled. Wondering if she was able to lose her stalker, she turned around slowly and froze upon seeing the man's silhouette standing in the entrance to the alley. He stood there for several minutes staring off in her direction. Suddenly he started stumbling his way into the alley. As he drew closer, she started to back up and search for a way past him.
"Well, well, well..." he said. His speech was slightly uneven and slurred. "What a coincidence it is, finding you here."
"Who are you?" she asked, "What do you want with me?"
"You know, I was sitting at the bar downtown, drinking to the worst misfortune for our mutual friend Ariam Vorru...when lo and behold; the holo broadcasts live from some lavish, gaudy party he's throwing and there you two are, front and center."
"What about it?" she asked, backing further away as he advanced.
"I was...a little surprised to see him shove that ring in your face." He smirked. "No matter. His loss...."
Rebecca shot him an angry look. "I'm waiting for someone. If you don't mind," she said, trying to shove her way past him. Before she could get very far, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back against the alley wall. As he leaned his head close to hers, she turned her nose away, trying to avoid getting a good whiff of his strong alcoholic breath.
The man eyed her from head to toe and grinned. "It appears that fodder Ariam was too good for you, eh? I guess that means you're all mine." He yanked her forward and planted his mouth on hers.
Rebecca immediately began to struggle against his grip. When she finally broke free, she once again tried to get out of the alley, this time crying out for help. She made it a few feet before tripping over her heels. On the way down, she hit her head on the ground, dazing her. Her assailant took this opportunity to pin her to the ground, and as she lay there she felt a sharp object press into her neck a little.
"Don't struggle, Rebecca. It'll only make it worse for you..." He grinned deviously at her and whispered into her ear. "You know, I could have us wait this off until we're both official...but why? I couldn't bear waste this perfect opportunity."
Horrified and frightened, she made one last-ditch effort and used her free hand to slap the man as hard as she could across the face, hoping it would loosen his hold on her long enough. To her dismay, it did little damage.
"I guess you want it rough then. Alright, I'll play your game." He grinned and swung, striking her in the head. Rebecca cried out in pain as everything went black.
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